Main image: Battle Abbey Prep
In Part Two of our focus on the best co-curricular in preps, we look at the schools that offer something for everyone, those that use activities to help build character and the ones that take a global approach.
The all-rounders
Children’s natural curiosity when they’re little means they’re often more gung-ho about throwing themselves into something new than when they’re older and may have developed limiting self-beliefs like ‘I’m not good at sport’ or ‘I can’t act’. Which is why introducing them to lots of activities at a young age is so beneficial. ‘We believe in keeping childhood magical for as long as possible,’ says
Giggleswick Prep School, whose smorgasbord of activities from taekwondo and crafts to cooking and outdoor adventure gives pupils the space to develop their personalities, build confidence and discover new passions.
Battle Abbey Prep agrees and offers pathways to excellence – elite sports, academic clubs, competitive music ensembles – as well as an eclectic choice of pupil-voted activities such as cheerleading and manga drawing, and an enrichment programme with real-life projects spanning everything from first aid to intergenerational opera. ‘These diverse opportunities not only help every child discover and shine in their unique niche but also build self-esteem, resilience and leadership,’ says Battle Abbey’s director of enrichment Trudy Golding.
Pupils at
Saint Felix Prep get involved in charity, eco projects and community service to help connect them to the world around them. Forest-school sessions offer immersive learning experiences, while the ‘Grandes and Petites’ scheme fosters a strong family atmosphere, promoting language and social development. Schools such as
Feltonfleet categorise activities across defined areas and encourage pupils to try something in each section, whether that’s podcasting to foster a sense of community and service or code-breaking for an academic challenge.
Beachborough School believes providing co-curricular opportunities can both bring learning to life and help each child find their ‘greatness’. ‘The idea with our wide-ranging co-curricular programme is to provide something for everyone, enabling children to express themselves in ways that aren’t always possible in the classroom,’ they say.
Highfield and Brookham concurs, telling us that their extensive co-curricular programme is key in developing ‘confident, sparky children who are keen to learn’.
Image: Giggleswick Prep School
Looping in academics is something
Cameron Vale School does brilliantly with its clubs focusing on maths, English, art, sport and music, with lots of fun stuff from dodgeball to film club too. As well as encouraging and developing new interests, focused clubs can also nurture talent and help pupils gain senior-school scholarships. As
St Peter’s York says, ‘Co-curricular enables pupils to learn vital skills and develop interests that will have a positive impact on their world.’ The school has specialised sports-development groups and clubs for almost every area of interest, from robotics to fencing. Similarly,
Reddam House Junior School offers elite-level competition opportunities in sport, performing arts and academics alongside fun recreational options. Whether it’s early-morning swim squad, movie-making, journalism club or lunchtime netball, activities are woven into the school day seamlessly, ensuring everyone has a chance to thrive and shine.
Edgeborough thinks of its co-curricular programme as a launchpad: a dance workshop can discover a unique talent, a drama-club taster can lead to a LAMDA distinction or a first go at coding can spark a passion for engineering. ‘Hands-on experiences ignite passions that last a lifetime,’ the school says. Activities at
The Cavendish School are so numerous that nearly every letter of the alphabet has a clutch of clubs – for ‘c’ alone, there’s circus skills (so popular it runs four times a week), cooking, creative movement and chess – which means pupils can ‘explore new interests and master new skills in a safe, familiar school environment with friends’.
King’s House School regularly reviews its co-curricular, introducing new ones to keep pupils engaged. Music is a big part of life here, with rock bands, choirs and ensembles on offer; two of the newest clubs, musical theatre and music technology, are already thriving, with the former planning an end-of-term show. Pupils choose what excites them at
Dallington too. Inventors’ club, animation, textiles, coding and dance are just some of the activities laid on to help children discover their interests, develop skills and find out what makes them unique. Giving children an opportunity to discover new passions and talents is integral at where specialist teachers and external coaches run a whole host of exciting pursuits including ones that even most adults haven’t tried, such as PADI courses in scuba diving and clay pigeon shooting.
Head of
St. Helen’s College Shirley Drummond is proud of the ‘have a go’ attitude that pupils acquire through the huge array of activities they get involved in, from Punjabi-speaking to martial arts: ‘We believe this is the best preparation possible for senior school and, indeed, for life.’ ‘Participating in co-curricular activities helps pupils cultivate critical life skills such as teamwork, leadership and problem-solving,’ says
Clifton College Prep, which ticks all the boxes from creativity to physical fitness with its co-curricular offering. They’re also a platform for social interaction, enabling pupils to form friendships and learn the importance of collaboration. Laying down such soft skills is invaluable, especially as the digital world becomes more available as children enter their teenage years. Personal development through diverse activities, says
Hampton Court House, ‘not only enriches classroom learning by enhancing critical thinking, creativity and time management’, but also ‘encourages friendships, emotional wellbeing and cultural awareness’.
Merchant Taylors’ Prep holistic approach seeks to nurture well-rounded and engaged learners too, and at
Beechwood Park School activities structured around four key themes ensure that each day offers an ‘opportunity to nourish our pupils’ brains, bodies, souls and hearts. We believe that a truly exceptional prep school nurtures the whole child.’
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Image: Clifton College Prep
Pupils at
Dragon School are guaranteed to find their passion with a list of activities that includes roller skating, filmmaking, rock group, yoga and animation club. And if something’s not on offer, they have the agency to make it happen; in recent years, pupils have voted for a dedicated Taylor Swift quest, bike-mechanics club and remote-control racing.
Clubs are rotated every term at
The Prep at Denstone College, with everything from police cadets to bug club on the menu. There are also sports teams for everyone and lots of opportunities for outdoor learning and adventure. And every minute of the school day is a window for activities at
Channing Junior. Before school, the cheerleading and swim squads are training and the cross-country club running; breaktime is for gardening and mini-sporting heroes clubs; lunchtime sees a raft of calming activities such as origami and book club alongside football and netball squads, choirs and music ensembles; and after school there is the chance to do everything from Minecraft and cross-stitch to learning French and Spanish.
Image: The Prep at Denstone College
As well as having all bases covered in sports, creative arts and outdoor adventure,
Fulham Prep School sets its pupils exciting challenges in clubs, such as building a robot in robotics club and sending it out to walk the streets. Broadening pupils’ minds and feeding their intellectual inquisitiveness are at the heart of
King’s College Junior School’s co-curricular: ‘With all kinds of musical, sporting and curiosity-led clubs available, pupils are bound to find activities that inspire them, help new skills to emerge and offer a lot of fun.’ And the school week is structured to give them plenty of time to enjoy everything from Greek mythology to quiz club, which was founded by the pupils. Children are empowered to take control of their own choices at
Bede’s Prep too, getting involved in the organisation, management and leadership of activities – whether they’re recreational, competitive or educational.
Junior King’s Canterbury never seems to sit still with its ever-expanding co-curricular – recent additions include young engineers’ club, Lord of the Rings club, Russian, spinning, rowing and riding. Ensuring there’s something for everyone is taken seriously at
Barfield Prep School too. Its programmes prioritise inclusivity over skill level, allowing everyone to have a meaningful experience. We love how its new brass-band club is made up of pupils who take weekly lessons and those who’ve never picked up an instrument. Not only does this widen friendship groups, it also teaches invaluable social skills and opportunities for mentoring and risk-taking.
Image: Barfield Prep School
Developing self-confidence, risk-taking and resilience, says
St Swithun’s Prep, contributes to the well-roundedness of every pupil. Inspiring independent, passionate and curious learners who are ready to succeed in a changing world is the aim of the co-curricular at
Shrewsbury House Prep School, where more than 40 clubs and activities mean that everyone can explore their interests, challenge themselves and develop life-long skills. Mastering strategy in chess club, embracing creative expression in filmmaking and theatre club, refining problem-solving skills in robotics and Python coding, and developing teamwork, discipline and resilience in sports such as fencing and flag football all allow pupils to take ownership of their interests and inspire others.
Image: Shrewsbury House Prep
Character-building endeavours
Some schools take a character-driven approach to co-curricular. At
Finborough Prep School, developing attributes such as resilience, gratitude and aspiration is given equal weight with academics. A wide spectrum of opportunities includes playing in an orchestra, staying with 150 other pupils at the school camp-out and completing crosswords with residents at a local care home.
Hurst Prep offers an ambitious sporting, cultural, intellectual and social co-curricular programme alongside academic rigour too. Pupils benefit from being part of a team, whether on the sports field, as part of a dance or drama company or in the chapel choir, where they learn how to form solid social connections, confront and learn from challenges, and discover hidden talents.
Equipping pupils with transferable skills and encouraging them to dream big drives the co-curricular at
Glendower Prep, where mindset-coaching workshops explore topics such as ‘Embracing Accountability’ and ‘Discovering a Sense of Self’, and clubs include confidence and leadership. The broad programme of character-building activities at
Brambletye School include strategy games, current affairs and theatre production, as well as timetabled gardening lessons to encourage pupils to cultivate not just plants, but also patience, responsibility and a love of nature.
Image: Hurst Prep
The five Cs – compassion, collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity – form the foundation of
Dean Close Prep School's innovative Saturday-morning ‘5 Time’ programme. Activities such as chocolate lab, park run, gel-plate printing, bouldering and Quidditch all offer opportunities for personal growth, skill development and enrichment. At
Lambrook School, weekly enrichment afternoons give pupils the chance to complement their academic studies in exciting ways, including farming, beekeeping, community service, filmmaking, songwriting and mini-MasterChef. Pupils are allowed to choose whatever they like but must try a new activity every half-term, which helps them build up the confidence to move out of their comfort zone.
The inclusive nature of
Chigwell Prep School’s co-curricular also allows pupils to find their strengths and passions while building self-esteem and confidence. There are some 70 activities every week, from debating to climbing and street dancing to the Chigwell Dash – a weekly run around the school grounds. ‘Clubs teach virtues that put children on a path to be great citizens of the world,’ says Chigwell.
Prospect House has a brilliant outreach programme that includes help-the-community club, which saw pupils making and selling friendship bracelets to raise money for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, and Entrepreneurial Challenge, where Year 6s are given £10 to develop a money-generating project focusing on sustainability and embodying a sense of responsibility for the world.
Global outlook
An increasingly interconnected world means that nurturing global citizens has never been more important. At
ACS Hillingdon Lower School, pupils can aim for a Global Citizen Diploma through experiential learning and reflection in areas such as global understanding, community engagement, wilderness engagement, public communication and leadership. The online school
King’s InterHigh Primary builds a sense of community beyond academics by offering myriad ways for its pupils who are located across the world to connect. Its growing list of clubs includes everything from drama to coding, offering opportunities to collaborate, share ideas and form friendships with people from other cultures.
The IB school
The International School of London seamlessly integrates co-curricular and academic programmes alongside promoting inclusivity and cultural awareness. We love the sound of its PYP Festival of Lights, a student-devised production that weaves together the curriculum and the diverse cultures at ISL. It’s a great example of showing pupils the world through the people around them and fostering an inclusive and accepting attitude. And it’s also proof that belonging and community don’t have to have borders.